Quarantine
by TC591
Summary: Jack & Ianto in early one Friday when Jack makes a mistake that seals the two of them in TW over the w/e. The men are forced to talk about their feelings for each other. What will happen between them & what caused this? It's up to Owen, Tosh and Gwen on the outside to find out. M/M. TL is a bit fudged - forgive me. I do not own TW or any of the characters. NO COPYRIGHT INTENDED.
1. Chapter 1

Jack was here early again. Lately Jack had been coming in around the same time as Ianto. Well, when Ianto thought about it, Jack practically lived here so he wasn't so much as 'coming in' as he was 'waking up and emerging from his bunk earlier than usual'. But it was a change, Ianto had noticed _that_, even if he couldn't figure out exactly what the change was; it was like Jack was bored or something. He was always trying to find things for them to talk about before the others came into work, he would come and ask Ianto what he did at home the night before or over the weekend, he would play with things Ianto would be using and asking what they were even as Ianto was taking them off of Jack and putting them back. Ianto didn't mind, it wasn't annoying which surprised Ianto because he liked to be left to do his work but Jack didn't annoy him, even as he was doing everything two or three times since Jack was bored he couldn't help but smile a little at Jack's boredom. He was like a child sometimes but Ianto knew that Jack was older than any of them, possibly combined, and that's what made Ianto smile. Sometimes Jack looked so old, when he had to do the things that no one else wanted to do, when he had to make the decisions that he would be verbally spat at for, he looked so tired and so old. Sometimes too old. But in that moment when he came down the stairs to Ianto, trying not to be too eager and obvious, even though he was practically bouncing on the spot, he looked younger than he ever could be, not just physically but behind his eyes too. Like a star that had started to fade out finding a new lease of life. Burning that little bit brighter. Ianto had seen it before, close up... Very close. But he tried not to think about that, having Jack that close to him having just said something dripping with innuendo and smiling Ianto had only just managed to find the strength to make his excuses and walk away. He definitely tried not to think about that. Tried.

"Morning, Ianto!" He stood beside the desk looking at the two cups Ianto had just put down on the desk, usually Ianto would take the cup up his office but he didn't bother because he knew Jack would just bring it down with him.

Ianto cleared his throat and cleared his mind. "Morning, sir. It's the one nearest you." He smiled and continued moving things around carefully. The mail for the week had been building up and now they had parcels to deal with, there was no point in cleaning until that was done.

"Thank you, you have to tell me where you learned to make such a great cup of coffee, Ianto."

"If I did that then you would have no use for me, sir."

"That's not true." Jack sounded a little hurt.

Ianto didn't answer and Jack took a chance to take in more coffee. Ianto sorted through the mail hoping Jack would leave it at that. But not leave altogether. "For a top secret organisation that doesn't answer to anyone, we sure do get a lot of mail, sir. Shit!" Ianto dropped a pile of mail on the floor and Jack bent down to help him.

"Yeah we do, I should look into that."

"I wonder what the postman thinks when he delivers this lot to the tourist office." Jack just laughed as he helped Ianto and put his pile of letters on the desk. "Thank you, sir."

"Let me help you with this lot."

"I can manage."

"I never said you couldn't but I've finished my work and it'll be at least half an hour before the others come in so unless you've got something else I can do...?" He smiled at Ianto who just shook his head after failing to think of anything that he would trust Jack with around here. Certainly not his coffee maker. "Then, why don't you do the paper stuff and I'll do the parcels."

"But, sir-"

"Ianto come on, I'm good at handling the big stuff." He winked and Ianto just rolled his eyes defeated. They started sorting through the mail and the coffee.

"Funny, this one is addressed to 'Torchwood'." Ianto handed the letter to Jack.

"What? Well, how did they even know we were here?" He turned it over and over looking at it, for what Ianto didn't think even Jack knew.

"How did the postman even know to deliver it here?" As Jack turned it again he saw. "No stamp. This was hand de- Jack what are you doing?"

"Opening it?" Jack put his thumb in and started ripping it open.

"But it could be dangerous?"

"It's a letter, how dangerous can it be? Besides, it's to Torchwood and no stamp. How can I not?"

"You can't be that bored?"

"Who said I was bor…" His voice trailed off as he realised that Ianto may have had a point. The alarms went off all over.

"What is that, sir?" They both stood and looked around before they turned to the computers and hooked into the system.

_PRESENCE OF TYFIL-FIVE DETECTED. QUARANTINE IN EFFECT. REPEAT. PRESENCE OF TYFIL-FIVE DETECTED. QUARANTINE IN EFFECT._

"Shit, Ianto?" Jack looked to Ianto with a look that he'd only seen a couple of times. Shame.

"It's alright." Ianto hit his comms. "Tosh. It's Ianto, listen we have a situation here at the hub. Sir, get Owen on."

Jack did as he was told. "Owen, we need your help."

Ianto: "We opened a letter addressed to 'Torchwood'." Jack looked at Ianto as he took the lead and half of the blame.

Tosh: "Not to the tourist office?"

Ianto: "No and it didn't have a stamp so, it was hand delivered."

Owen: "So, what did you open it for, are you stupid?"

Jack: "We weren't thinking." Jack looked at the table wondering why he was _letting _Ianto take the flack for his mistake and he tried to explain. "I was just-"

Ianto cut him off. "It doesn't matter why just now, all that matters is that we opened it and the hub shut down.

Owen: "What does that mean?"

Jack: "The hub detected something and went into immediate quarantine."

Owen: "What did it detect?"

Tosh: "It should be on the screen."

Ianto: "It says Tyfil-Five?"

Owen starts to laugh down the phone and Tosh joins in.

Jack: "What? Is that good?"

Owen: "Tyfil- Five is a mixture of Tyfiline and Roffive, separately they are deadly but mix them together and you mimic the presence of Weevil sweat, it comes as close to their DNA as you possibly can. It's a bit weird..."

Ianto: "Sweat? Are you taking the piss?"

Owen: "It's not just any sweat, it's the sweat that is excreted when they are in danger; it's released as a cry for help from others."

Jack: "But why would someone send us that in the mail?"

Ianto: "And why are we in quarantine?"

Tosh: "The system has detected the compound but it's also programmed to look for any compounds that may be masked in the mixture, after the last time-"

All three of the others: "Oh, yeah."

Ianto: "That was nasty." Jack nods at Ianto with their faces showing disgust at the memory. "So it's detected them separately and assumed it was a Trojan horse?"

Tosh: "Basically."

Jack: "Is there a chance that is _was_ a Trojan horse?"

Tosh: "I need you to tap into the computer's air filtration system."

Jack: "Ianto's on it." He stood behind Ianto as he followed Tosh's lead.

Tosh: "Go to the filtration levels and then to the quarantine plan. It should tell you the level of the compound and then the two separately."

Ianto: "It says Tyfilline at 67% and Roffive at 33% while the Tyfil-Five is at 79%?"

Tosh: "That's good, it the levels were at 50 each then there'd be a problem but at those levels they aren't acting on their own, they're acting as a mixture. What does the quarantine say?"

Owen: "Can I hang up now?"

Jack: "Shut up, Owen!" Ianto flinched a little at the volume of Jack's warning.

Ianto: "It says 'Hours to complete filtration: 90."

Jack: "90?!"

Owen starts laughing.

Tosh: "Oh, I'm sorry guys but…"

Owen: "You're stuck in there until Monday!" Owen is still pissing himself.

Jack: "Owen if you want to have a job to come back to on Monday then you'll shut up. Right now." Ianto couldn't help but smile as Jack let out his pent up fear as anger on Owen and it might have something to do with Jack squeezing Ianto's shoulder in anticipated relief. "So we're safe, Tosh? We just have to wait until the air clears and we can leave?"

Tosh: "I wouldn't open any more mail, though."

Jack couldn't help but laugh. He loosened his grip on Ianto's shoulder but didn't pull away.

Owen: "How come you're allowed to laugh?"

Now Ianto was laughing.

Jack smiled at Ianto: "You can laugh now I know that Ianto is safe."

Ianto: "Why just me?" He looked up at Jack.

Owen: "Don't get excited, tea boy. Jack can't die, remember?" He started laughing again.

Jack: "I don't know why you're laughing because_ we_ can't leave here."

Owen: "And we have a day off?" They were all silent. "And _we're_ investigating the letter, right. Someone should really call Gwen."

Jack just nodded and smiled at Ianto. "Get breakfast guys or whatever and we'll talk in a while." He clicked his comms and looked at Ianto. "Don't even let me help with the mail again."

Ianto laughed and stood up. "More coffee, sir?"

"I thought you'd never ask." He followed Ianto to the kitchen. "Maybe I shouldn't have got up early this morning."

"To help with the mail?"

"No, to finish all of my work. What am I going to do for 90 hours?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something, sir."

"I bet I will." Ianto looked at Jack as he smiled. "If we're going to be here that long, you don't have to call me sir, call me Jack. Just until Monday though, I kind of like it when you call me sir."

"I don't think I could do that, sir." Ianto turned and handed Jack a cup, the machine had barely cooled down from the last cup.

"You called me Jack earlier."

"Did I?" Ianto thought back to earlier. He did. "Oh my god, I did. I'm sorry, sir."

"That's quite alright. Like I said, we're going to be here for a while so you calling me sir is going to wear thin pretty quick." He sighed. "What are we going to do?"

"I can catch up on organising the archive." Jack just laughed. "What?"

"Oh, Ianto. Poor, poor Ianto. Do you ever switch off? You must have had plans for this weekend?"

"Just me, a takeaway and a 'Dad's Army' marathon. When I go home I do switch off, but when I'm in here I have my… Torchwood head on."

"Well, you're going to have to turn it off because you can't go down to the archives."

"Why not?"

"We're in quarantine but not the whole place - just this bit." He gestured around and glanced up at Myfanwy flying around.

"We're locked off from the rest of the base?"

Jack nodded. "Just here, no archives, no holding cells... Just you and me in here."

"It's not all bad then."

Jack smiled again. "Why's that?"

"It could have been Owen."

Jack spluttered his coffee. "Well, I'm glad that it was you, Ianto Jones. Owen was off this morning anyway, took it off and worked early last week."

"My lucky day then, I was thinking that _I_ could have been stuck in here with Owen."

"Am I better?"

Ianto took a sip and walked away. "Much better… Jack."


	2. Chapter 2

"So what can we salvage to eat, Ianto?" Jack bounded back down his stairs and along to the kitchen.

"Well, there's enough food, it's just finding something that we both like and can cook. Most of the stuff I'm thinking of I can cook but I don't know if you'll like it. For lunch there's salads and burgers or if you'd prefer there's sausages and beans. For dinner there's spaghetti or something with chicken but I'm not sure if you'd rather have that for lunch or…?" He turned to look at Jack.

"Burger for me and pasta's good for tonight." Ianto nodded and began taking burgers out of the fridge. "Where did all of this food come from?"

"I went shopping yesterday, you lot can eat takeaways because you are always running about but I have to work to keep it off. It's better if I just eat something else."

"What would we do without you? I know, we'd starve!" Jack laughed as Ianto rolled his eyes but a smiled forced its way onto his face. Jack tried to seem nonchalant but it wasn't exactly something he was used to. "Work out a lot do ya?"

"Every day, like I said, I need to try and keep up with you lot."

"So you'll be working out while we're in here, then?"

"I expect so, will that be a problem, Jack?" He turned to look at him as he turned the chicken over.

"Not at all. But, could you warn me first?"

"What for?"

"So I can watch." He smiled and disappeared again. 83 hours left with Captain Jack Harkness and he was already making Ianto sweat. Usually Ianto would be totally not bothered by Jack's comments because he said it all to everyone and Ianto didn't matter. But now it was just the two of them and all of Jack's attention was focused on him. Jack's distraction had become his only plaything. Ianto Jones was in for a difficult few days.


	3. Chapter 3

"So Ianto, what are we going to watch?"

"Well there's daytime TV, or a film. There's a new gameshow on called 'Pressure Pad' and it looks quite good?"

"The host is hot." Jack stood and took his shirt off as Ianto just looked at him. "What?"

"Why are you getting undressed?"

"Ianto, it's spaghetti?." Jack just raised his eyebrow at him as he draped the shirt over one of the chairs.

Ianto thought for a moment. "Good point, I'll be right back." He stood and went to his locker where he took out clothes and began to change. He stood in his boxers and put one leg in is jeans and as he was hopping into the other he heard a laugh. He turned to see Jack standing leaning against the doorway looking at him. Ianto stood there, with the front of his jeans open and bare chested. "What?"

Jack did what he always does when he's lying because he's embarrassed; he was stood with his arms crossed leaning on the doorway and then as he spoke he looked to the right and shrugged, letting his arms fall into his pockets and took a step towards Ianto. "Nothing."

"Tell me. Why were you watching me get changed?"

"Why not?"

"Well, I didn't say that you could, that's a start." Ianto stood with his hands on his hips, fully aware that Jack was not looking at his eyes and didn't care; if Jack wanted a look then Ianto was going to give him one. Serves him right.

Now Jack looked at his eyes. "Good point. Sorry. It's just that… I mean you're attractive and I appreciate attractiveness."

"Okay, and why were you laughing?" Jack thought Ianto was attractive? Well then...

"Well…" He hesitated but he knew Ianto wasn't going to let it drop. "Alright, you are always so straight and soldier-like that seeing you jump around like that, it was like watching a kid."

"Thanks." Ianto buttoned up his jeans a little angry. Jack thought he was like a child. Great.

Jack took a few more steps towards Ianto until he was stood in front of him. "I didn't mean it how you're taking it."

"How am I taking it, Jack?" In Ianto's anger he had pulled his boxers up too and now they were pulled up much too far to be comfortable but he wasn't going to fix them in front of Jack.

"You're taking it to mean that I don't take you seriously and that isn't what I meant. I meant that it was brilliant, I love seeing that side of you. I mean," He took a breath trying to find the words, "sometimes I look at you in here and you look so old." Ianto turned towards Jack intrigued. "You are so closed off, we all are, we have to be in this job but I mean you are so young and I don't mean that in a negative way. I've been around a long time and in the short time that you've had you've seen so much, even though you haven't been out in the field with us that much, and sometimes I look at you and I see this… frost. This aging behind your eyes, like you've seen too much already, I recognise it because I feel it too and seeing you just now it was…" He sighed and a small smile crept onto his face." Brilliant. It really was, it was like for a brief moment the ice lifted as Ianto Jones tried to get out of his suit and into his jeans." He smiled a laugh. "Ianto, you got younger before my eyes. How can I not laugh at that? It's gorgeous." He smiled and slowly walked away back to his dinner. 77 hours left with Jack Harkness and Ianto was stood in his jeans and socks shocked.


	4. Chapter 4

Ianto had fallen asleep on the couch in the Hub. He knew that much because he had been watching a film with Jack and now he was driving to Denver. Driving across America on a hunt for an Alien with no name and he was laughing. Ianto Jones and his jeans in a Jeep with a tracking device beeping away and his team chatting on the comms while his Captain slept in the back of the car. Driving in Denver. The wind was blowing through his hair in through the open window but he felt warm. And he could smell coffee. Where was that coming from? Suddenly his Captain tapped on his shoulder. "Want some coffee, Ianto?" Jack? He had better not be using Ianto's machine.

Ianto opened his eyes and realised he was on the couch and there was a reason that he was warm. Jack's coat was over him. He looked up to see Jack sitting on the computer and as Ianto sat up Jack turned.

"Coffee, Ianto?"

"Em, you made coffee?" Ianto cleared his throat and stood to hang Jack's coat up on the peg in Jack's office.

"Don't worry, I used the kettle. Even_ I_ know not to touch your machine."

Ianto nodded and headed back down the stairs. "I'm sorry that I fell asleep, sir."

"Don't be sorry, it's what you're meant to do. You should have slept in my cot though."

"Why?" Ianto took the coffee and stood beside Jack. It wasn't his favourite but it was good coffee, for instant.

"Well, I'm used to sleeping wherever and that couch could not have been comfy."

"No actually, it wasn't." Ianto moved and a few bones began to crack and he groaned.

"Sit here." Jack put his hand out for the stool he had been sat on.

"Why?" Ianto just looked at him suspiciously.

"Just sit." So Ianto did as he was told, the man had put his coat over him and offered him his cot but didn't want to wake him. It couldn't be that bad. Could it?

"Fine but I warn you, I'm trained in combat." Ianto joked and Jack just laughed as he rolled up his shirt sleeves. Ianto felt hands on his shoulders… What was Jack doing? Oh god. He was massaging Ianto's shoulders and it felt good. Things were cracking and moving and easing off. "Where… or _when_ did you learn to do that?" Ianto let out a little groan there and he was going to pretend like he meant it. Because he did. Ahem.

"I had this boyfriend…" Another one of Jack's stories that never actually turned into a story.

"Why do you do that?" Ianto shifted uncomfortably in the chair trying not to bring Jack's attention to his movement. Ianto edged himself further towards the table hiding... Something.

"Do what?"

"You always say that. 'I had this boyfriend' or 'I met this guy in a bar' and then you don't say anything else. Why do you do that? I wonder if you either don't want to tell us or if you think we don't care."

Jack stopped for a second. "I don't know actually." He continued rubbing. "I've had a lot of experiences and I guess I think people are just sick of hearing about them or how old I am or… how many experiences I've had or…"

"Or how many people you've known and had to lose. Or how many people have hurt you and how many you've hurt. Or how many people have asked and stopped asking?" Jack stopped what he was doing for a second and Ianto turned to look at him. "I want to know. If you want to tell me then I want to know. I'm not going through the motions, sir." Ianto tried to concentrate on anything except what Jack was doing. This was dangerous territory but he couldn't bring himself to walk away. He would just have to... Concentrate.

"Call me Jack." He continued and Ianto closed his eyes. "And okay. His name was Brian, he was an athlete in the Jilto Formation and he had an accident. He wouldn't tell me everything, it happened before I met him, but he was in such pain. His legs used to ache at night and he would grunt and pant away but…" Jack fell silent for a few moments before he spoke again and Ianto felt it was best not to look at him. to let him react to telling the story for the first time in a while on his own. "We grew close, spent all of our time together. He still wouldn't tell me what happened, I didn't mind because we all have our secrets, those stories that are ours and ours alone, but he would cry to me at night. He was always tired because he would only _eventually_ fall asleep in my arms as I rocked him and he cried." Ianto imagined it and that age behind Jack's eyes made a little more sense. "Anyway I couldn't stand it so I learned from a friend of mine, he used to be a doctor." Ianto turned towards Jack a little but still not looking at him. "No, not that doctor. An _actual_ doctor, in the 20th century who experimented with different massaging techniques to alleviate muscle pain. It moves the muscles and increases blood flow."

"Did he stop crying?"

Ianto could hear the smile in Jack's voice. "Yeah, yeah he did."

"Good. I can feel why." Jack stopped and Ianto cracked his neck.

"How's that?"

Ianto turned to look at Jack. "It feels great. Thank you, Jack."

"No, thank you, Ianto." Jack smiled and took the last sip of his cup. "Any chance of a real cup?"

"Of course, sir." Ianto stood and took the cups to the kitchen now that he was relaxed... All over. Wow.


	5. Chapter 5

Jack: "Come on, Owen. There must be something?"

Owen: "I am not going down there Jack."

Jack: "Why not?"

Gwen: "You scared?"

Owen: "In a word: yes."

Ianto: "Well, that's a first."

Owen: "Shut it, Suit."

Jack: "He's not wearing a suit, Owen."

Gwen: "Are you naked, Ianto? What have you done to him, Jack?"

Jack starts laughing.

Iano: "I am not naked. I do own jeans, you know."

Tosh: "I can't imagine you out of a suit."

Owen, Jack and Gwen start laughing over the comms.

Owen: "Oi, oi!"

Tosh slightly embarrassed: "No! I meant that I couldn't imagine him in anything that wasn't a suit."

Jack: "Have you been trying hard enough 'cause I can." Jack took a quick glance at Ianto in his jeans. Well, it wasn't exactly quick.

Gwen was pissing herself while trying, and failing, to talk in her brilliant Welsh accent.

Ianto: "I know what you meant, Tosh." He looked at Jack and they both start laughing.

Tosh: "Oh don't you start, Ianto. What have you done to him Jack?"

Jack: "Nothing… Yet."

Owen: "Oi, oi!"

Gwen was still laughing.

Jack: "Right now, come on. Owen, you are the only one that can go down there without being ripped apart."

Tosh: "I'll go with you, Owen."

Gwen: "No Tosh, we can't risk them attacking you or we could all go. They don't attack Owen but they might go for you regardless."

Owen: "I can protect her."

Gwen: "Tosh can protect herself, thank you." Jack and Ianto looked at each other saying nothing. "But her being with you might not be enough to keep them off of her."

Jack: "Gwen's right, we can't risk it, Owen."

Owen: "I know, thanks anyway Tosh."

Tosh: "That's alright."

Owen: "What am I looking for anyway?"

Ianto: "There is a base at the east of the sewer network at this side, it's where they tend to sleep and congregate. If there's anything to find, chances are, it's there. Maybe."

Owen: "Great. I'm going into the sewers to walk among a load of Weevils to look for something. But we don't know what it is or where it might be. Or even if it exists. All we have is a substance in a letter that mimics Weevil."

Tosh: "Wait a minute."

Gwen: "What is it, Tosh?"

Tosh: "You said 'mimics'. We know that Weevils themselves couldn't have done this but why mimic a Weevil?"

Owen: "Because if you go anywhere near one they tend to get a bit bitey."

Tosh: "I know that but, why Weevil? They _mimic_ Weevil sweat with substances that shut down, more or less, our base. And we just happen to have a member of the team that can go into the Weevil base without effect?"

Ianto: "She's onto something there. A letter for Torchwood, hand delivered, shuts down the base but on the morning that Owen was in late."

Owen: "Oi, I was scheduled to be in late, tea boy. I wasn't skiving."

Ianto: "That's exactly my point, scalpel boy." Jack laughed and looked away trying not to rub that in. "You were scheduled to be off on the morning that all of this happens? I'd say someone wanted you on the outside when that letter was opened. And I wasn't even going to open that today."

Owen: "Why not?"

Ianto: "Well there was a lot of mail and there were parcels but Jack offered-"

Tosh, Owen and Gwen: "Jack?"

Gwen: "Since when did you call him Jack?"

Jack: "Since we've been here for over 24 hours and I was sick of hearing 'sir'." Jack winked at Ianto as Ianto could feel his whole face glow red. He knew Sir was better,

Ianto tried to sound unphased: "But he offered-"

Owen: "I'm sorry, who offered?"

Ianto sighed: "_Jack_ offered to help with the mail so he took the big packages-"

Gwen: "Doesn't he always?"

Ianto: "And I took the letters."

Owen: "So you just opened the letter?"

Ianto: "Yes."

Owen: "The suspicious letter marked 'Torchwood' without a stamp?" Ianto and Jack looked at each other.

Ianto: "Yes."

Jack: "Owen, stop."

Owen: "The one that should have been tested for, oh I don't know, finger prints and suspicious substances? You just opened it?"

Ianto: "Yes!"

Owen: "This is exactly why you'll never be a full time field agent."

Gwen: "Owen…"

Jack: "Owen!"

Tosh: "Stop this isn't helping.

Ianto: "I wasn't thinking."

Owen: "What else is new, you never just-"

Jack: "It was me!"

The comms go silent.

Ianto: "No, it was me."

Owen: "Why are you covering for him, Jack?"

Jack: "I'm not okay?" Ianto opened his mouth to protest. "Ianto, shut up. It was me. I opened it and Ianto said I shouldn't but I just went ahead and did it anyway because I was too busy flirting. There, you happy? It was me."

Jack sat on the seat and huffed.

Gwen: "Flirting?"

Owen: "With tea boy?"

Tosh: "Why does it matter?"

Gwen: "Tosh is right, what's done is done."

Owen: "Still technically Ianto's fault, really." Ianto rolled his eyes.

Jack: "Can you all just get it into your head? I'm the reason this happened but we need to sort this because Tosh is right, someone is targeting you Owen and not only do we not know how but we don't know why."

The comms go silent again.

Owen: "I still think it's his fault."

Gwen and Tosh: "Oh shut up, Owen!"

Ianto and Jack look at each other shocked.

Gwen: "All you do is go on and on at him."

Tosh: "He's never done anything to you and all you do is beat on him."

Gwen: "If this was a schoolyard I'd think you fancied him."

Owen: "What?"

Ianto: "Please don't ever say that again."

Jack starts laughing.

Owen: "Feeling's mutal, tea boy. Believe me."

Gwen: "So why do you taunt him so much."

Owen: "This isn't helping, we need to-"

Tosh: "No Owen, you brought this on yourself. Tell."

Owen: "I don't need to-"

Jack: "Come on, Owen. If there's any bullying going on in the workplace I need to know."

Owen: "I'm not bullying him!"

Ianto: "Feels like it." He back smirked at Jack.

Owen sighed: "Fine. If you must know I think Ianto is a good agent. Or he will be when he gets out into the field properly. But he's soft. His skin isn't thick enough yet, he'll be a great agent who will so effected by what he sees that he'll fold under the terrible stuff and I thought if I just beat on him a little and gave him someone to aim his anger and frustration at then it might help him build up that skin and resilience. If he spent every day trying to argue back with me, having that target to unleash on without feeling bad because I do it to him, then he might be able to handle everything. Especially now that I'm dead, I won't be King of the Weevils forever, I'll go at some point and if he's not in the field properly by then then he will be at that point so I just thought… I'd… you know… help. Do something useful before I go. That's why I've been particularly nasty since I came back. Okay? You happy now?"

The comms went silent for the third time.

Ianto: "You totally fancy me."

Everyone started laughing on the comms.

Owen: "Piss off! Come on then, I think I'd rather be in the sewers than with you lot."


	6. Chapter 6

Ianto and Jack had been on the computers all day and comms with the rest of the team, some of UNIT had been drafted in to help since Torchwood Three was basically out of action. Owen had went into the sewers and inadvertedly started a rush of Weevils onto the streets of Cardiff. UNIT were drafted in to capture the Weevils but not to kill, on Jack's orders. UNIT didn't like it but they didn't argue with Torchwood Three, not over Weevils. The team had lost contact with Owen after he reached the bunker where it seemed the Weevils had been congregating. Gwen and Tosh had tried to find him but eventually he answered his phone and said he would explain later but everything was fine and Torchwood was not under any threat. When they argued he reminded them that it was Saturday and technically he was off the clock. They were never off the clock but Jack trusted Owen and although he was worried, he had a feeling that he knew what this was about but he wouldn't say... Yet.

Ianto and Jack sat down to eat dinner and watch TV. Jack was watching Ianto. "You haven't asked."

"It's alright, I already know."

"You do?"

"Yes, of course. I know that I'm just a joke to you lot. Well, maybe not Owen. Although he might be on drugs or something."

"What do you mean?"

"Well he says all of that about me but someone's targeting him so he's clearly been affected."

"I meant, what do you mean that we think you're a joke?"

"It's alright, Jack. I know that's what you all think and I've accepted it now. I'm just the guy who cleans up and gets coffee. I'm the one who makes sure the chocolate biscuits Gwen likes are in the cupboard, I'm the one who makes sure the green tea that Tosh drinks when she's had a bad day is in there, I'm the one who makes sure the pizza place don't put anchovies in the sauce of the pizza that Owen likes, or I used to. Now I'm the one who sees his face when everyone's eating or when Tosh says she's too hot or when Gwen itches that bit of her arm that always comes out in a rash every time she eats onions. I see that look on his face. I'm the guy who stands in the background. I'm the guy you wink at and flirt with when you're not doing it with the rest and I'm the guy you use as a distraction when you're bored. I know that. It's fine."

"I was actually wondering why you hadn't asked why I wasn't freaking out about Owen."

"Oh, you trust him and I trust you. I trust all of you."

"You trust me? After all you have just said, you trust us?"

"Yes. But I trust you the most. The others, they'll lie if there's a good enough reason but you know that and you still trust him so I trust that."

"I don't think you're a joke."

"Yeah."

"Seriously Ianto. Look at me."

Ianto turned to look at Jack who he suddenly realised looked sad. "I'm looking."

"I don't think you're a joke."

"Tell me this then. What do you see when you look at me, if it's not a joke or a distraction?"

"Ianto, I don't see a joke or a distraction. I think you're terrifying."

"What on earth do you mean?"

"You are. I look at you and I see this soldier, like I said before, this pillar of a man who would do anything for any of us or probably for just about anyone you've ever met. You have this core of fire, not of rage or revenge, but of right. A core of what's right runs right through you, Ianto Jones. I can see it in your eyes, it burdens you but it keeps you going. When I said I saw how affected you were by everything, how aged your eyes were in here, that's what I meant. They are the eyes of someone with such a vision of the world, a vision that the world is full of normal people who do amazing things and above all else, they, more or less, do the right thing. When or if they are ever presented with a situation, the thing that keeps your core burning is the belief that the right thing would be done. That age in your eye is that thing that I feel, that you've seen that the world isn't always right. It doesn't always do the right thing and it doesn't always offer up the right thing. It's good and bright but it can always be bad and dark and horrible. But when I look at you, Ianto, I see that core fighting through, on the belief that, if the choice was ever yours, you know you would do the right thing. And when I saw you changing into your jeans the ice broke as your core flared a little and it was terrifyingly beautiful to see the youthful hope mix with the tainted experience. In that moment, you became the most terrifyingly beautiful and beautifully terrifying thing, I had ever seen." He rubbed his head, like an old man tired and bare.

Ianto sat looking at Jack wishing that he looked like Ianto loved to see him. That star was tired and fading in that moment. Even Jack felt too old. Ianto slowly put his arm on the chair behind Jack and gently stroked his hair as Jack looked at him. "You're showing your age… Jack."

"Can't help it. I'm an old man, Ianto."

"You don't look old."

"Yeah, I know." He smiled wearily and looked back at the table.

"It's funny. What you said about my eyes looking frosted over. I see that in you sometimes. Well, most times actually."

"I'm not surprised."

"Yeah. It's like you activate it though, like when we had to let her go with the fairies." None of the team could bring themselves to say the girl's name for a while. If she had a name then she was real. That wouldn't help. But Ianto would bet that Jack knew everything about her and thought about it all the time. "I saw it in your eyes, it was like you quarantined that part of you that would have protested to the ends of the earth."

"I guess you could put it like that."

"But sometimes, just sometimes, I see a different Jack. Not when you're flirting or making jokes, when something good happens, it's like you burn a little brighter. I don't know maybe a little hope to keep you going throughout the years."

"Really? Well, it never feels like enough."

"I like that look in your eyes." Ianto looked at Jack.

"You do?" Jack looked at Ianto, still with his weary smile. This wasn't smirking Jack, or flirting Jack, or Captain Jack, or making the bad-decisions Jack; this was vulnerable Jack.

Ianto moved in a little. "I do." And then Ianto kissed Jack. Jack wasn't expecting it so it took him a second or two but he reacted by kissing Ianto back. After a few minutes they broke apart and looked at each other. Jack smiled and Ianto smiled back.

"Well, how about that."

"What?"

"All I had to do was trap you in the same room. I wish someone had told me that a long time ago."

"We could have died, Jack."

"Yeah, sorry."

"Actually, _I_ could have died. _You_ would've been fine."

"It was a bad joke." Jack kissed Ianto and broke apart again. "And if you had died I would not have been fine."

"I should think not." Ianto kissed Jack again. Ianto was arguing with himself in his head, what was he doing? Well, he was kissing his boss. And why was he doing that? Because he wanted to and because he was attracted to him. Was he? How long had he been hiding that then? Oh come on, it's been obvious for ages. Has it? Especially when Jack was sorting out his back for him, thank god for that table top hiding Ianto's lower region. And thank god Jack wanted to tell that story because it gave Ianto something to focus on. Ianto pulled away from Jack. "What am I doing?" He stood and Jack sat up. "You're my boss and…"

"I'm a guy?"

"I know that but I was going to say that this is going to get weird. When the quarantine is lifted and we have to go back to Boss and Tea Boy."

"Oi!" He stood up and walked over to Ianto. "You are more than just the tea boy to me and I had hoped I was more than just the Boss to you, Ianto." Jack walked away and up to his office. Ianto stood there for a few minutes. Of course he was more than that to Ianto. So he sighed and ran up the stairs. "Don't bother, Ianto."

"I'll do whatever I damn well please, thank you. As Owen said, technically we're off the clock and if I want to talk I bloody well will."

Jack leaned against his desk and crossed his arms and leg. He was prepared. "Talk then, tea boy."

"None of that. You can't tell me that this won't be awkward when everything goes back to normal."

"Well, maybe I can just quarantine it."

"Don't be a bastard."

Jack looked down and uncrossed his leg. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that."

"Yes you did, because you're angry and that's okay. We all get angry, even the great Jack Harkness gets angry."

"There should be a 'Captain' in there somewhere."

"I'm just worried that whatever happens with this…" Ianto took a step forward. "That it will mean that I will never be able to be on the team."

"Surely we can try. I've managed to get on with it."

"Get on with what?"

"Well…"

"Jack, get on with what?" Ianto took another step towards Jack.

"Wanting you and working with you."

"Wanting me?"

"Ianto, you all might think that I flirt with everyone."

"You do."

"Alright, yes I do. But I don't flirt unless I'm interested, not persistantly. What would be the point in that? I don't get bored Ianto, well I do, but I don't flirt to get rid of boredom. I flirt because I'm attracted to what I'm flirting with."

"What do you mean '_what_ you're flirting with'?"

Jack smiled. "Exactly what I said. There are whole worlds out there Ianto and I've seen some of them. Do you think they're full of humans?"

Ianto shook his head, stay on point. "So you've been flirting with me because…?"

"Because I want you."

"For?"

"I don't know, Ianto. We only just started at the beginning. Besides, _you_ kissed _me_ and now you're talking about 'it'll get weird'. Surely you must have thought about that before you kissed me?" Jack uncrossed his arms and leaned then on the desk. He wasn't angry anymore, now it was Ianto's turn.

"No." He hadn't even considered it.

"No?"

"No. All I could think about was this." Ianto took the last step towards Jack and kissed him again. Jack's left hand came up to Ianto's jaw and that was it.

Jack spoke through kissing. "What about… after the… quarantine?" In reply Ianto reached down and firmly grabbed Jack's crotch. "Fair enough." Jack was still wearing his vest and slacks since that's all he ever wore but Ianto had an old t-shirt and jeans on. It was a sharp contrast as Captain Jack still looked like Captain Jack and Ianto Jones looked like a different man. Jack grabbed Ianto's hand and led him over to the ladder before he climbed down and Ianto followed him. Jack stood a step away and looked at Ianto. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. But…"

"You don't have to do anything, Ianto."

He nodded. "I know Jack, don't worry. It's just… I don't exactly know what I'm doing."

Jack closed the gap and put his hand back on Ianto's jaw and stroked his cheek. "You've never?"

Ianto shook his head stroking his right hand through Jack's hair, Jack closed his eyes and leaned into Ianto's touch. "Never even kissed a guy before… before just now."

"If it helps," He leaned in looking at Ianto's lips, "you're a natural."

Ianto laughed. "Shut up." And he pulled Jack into a kiss.

Jack pushed Ianto against the ladder and Ianto groaned as he slammed into the metal. "Sorry." Jack mumbled through a kiss.

"S'alright." Ianto pulled at Jacks trousers and Jack moaned as his trousers fell open.

"Ianto?"

"Yeah?"

"As much as I like you in those jeans… I'd like you better out of them."

Ianto pushed Jack away from him and smiled. "Then take them off." He walked towards Jack and Jack let him lower him onto the bed. Jack knew that this was all bravado, Ianto was anxious and maybe even a like scared and this was his way of dealing with it and Jack was more than happy with that but now Ianto was calling out for Jack to guide him and take control and Jack was more than happy with that too. So he let Ianto straddle him before he flipped him over on the bed and kissed his neck as he brought his own legs in between Ianto's. "I thought you wanted rid of my jeans, Jack."

"I do but I'm a little distracted."

"By?"

"This." Jack ground his crotch against Ianto's erection and smirked as Ianto moaned. "Did you like that?" He pulled Ianto's jeans open and heard the relief in Ianto's voice as Ianto reached to try pulling down Jack's already open trousers.

Ianto nodded. "I'm starting to want my jeans off too."

"Starting to?" Jack looked at Ianto with an inquisitive eyebrow.

"You know what I mean, Jack." Ianto rubbed Jack's neck.

"I love it when you say that, Ianto."

"What?" Ianto moved his hand from Jack's neck down to his abdomen.

"My name. I never hear it from you, it's always 'sir'. It's nice to hear."

"Usually you're my boss."

"I'm still your boss."

"Yes but right now I can do this." Ianto put his hand inside Jack's boxers and Jack gasped.

He grabbed from Ianto's arm to stop him. "I think you should stop doing that."

Ianto took his hand out and looked at Jack worried. "Why, did I do something wrong?"

"No, no." He took Ianto's face in his free hand, the other one holding him up over Ianto, and kissed him. "No, it's just it you keep doing that then this will be a short experience." They both laughed. "And you're distracting me from my goal."

"What would that be?"

"Your jeans. I declare war on them." Jack rolled back on his heels and slowly tugged Ianto's jeans off. Ianto looked at him as Jack just smirked down at Ianto. But Ianto was watching his eyes - something was flickering. And it just spurred Ianto on. He lunged forward and put Jack on his back.

"Now that they have conceded then I declare war on your trousers here. But I think your vest is in on it so that'll have to go too." And Ianto worked them both off until Jack pulled at his t-shirt. Declaring war went without saying as both men ended up laying, in just their socks, Jack on top of Ianto. Jack kissed breathlessly at Ianto's chest, neck, face and lips; he went between them all. Ianto couldn't help grabbing Jack's buttocks and pushing Jack down as he bucked his hips to rub their erections together. "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"I need you."

"Now?"

"Now."

"You're going to have to give me a second. I need to get myself together." He swallowed and smiled as Ianto laughed gently. Ianto pulled him down for a firm kiss. "Ianto. Once we go through with this, it'll change everything. You know that right?"

"I know that."

"Are you ready for that? Because if not we need to stop…" He kissed Ianto. "We need to stop now."

"Jack," Ianto stroked Jack's cheek, "I couldn't stop this now if I wanted to. Unless you want to?"

"No. I just want to make sure that you…" His words trailed away as Ianto began kissing Jack's neck. "I wanted to make sure… I… Ianto… Ianto!"

Ianto stopped and looked at Jack. "Jack, will you just shut up. I want this. You want this. So why are we wasting time?"

"Well, I need to be sure that you're ready and I needed time to get myself together. Two birds and all that." He smirked at Ianto as he reached for the lube.

"Why can't you be that efficient when it comes to paperwork?"

"Ianto." Jack looked at him as he put lube on himself.

"Bad joke." Just then Ianto moaned as Jack rubbed lube on him and leaned over him.

"If you want me to stop all you have to do is say. It'll be uncomfortable but that'll pass."

"Okay."

Jack kissed Ianto to distract him and then began to insert himself into Ianto. Ianto grunted for a few moments and Jack lay still until Ianto had relaxed. "Ready?"

"Yeah."

Jack kissed Ianto and began to move. With each slow thrust he moved a little further and a little faster and Ianto started to breathe differently. He wasn't grunting anymore he was moaning. They kept kissing and moving apart as they moaned together, their breath escaping as they looked at each other and Jack smiled as Ianto laughed a little.

"Good?" Ianto started nodding. "Well, what about this?" Jack angled himself and hit the right spot, definitely, judging by Ianto's reaction, Ianto moaned and grabbed Jack's shoulder.

After a while Ianto opened his eyes "Jack."

"Ianto?"

"Jack, I think I'm going to…"

"Me too."

"How is that even…? How is that even…?" He didn't finish his sentence.

.

.

Jack grabbed an old top and cleaned them both up.

"I'm not washing that." Ianto pointed to the t-shirt.

"It's your job and your… stuff?"

"I'm still not washing that."

Jack laughed and throwing the top towards the bathroom he came back and crawled back over Ianto. Ianto turned him over on the bed and kissed Jack's neck. "Did you have fun?"

Ianto laughed. "Was it good for you?"

Then Jack laughed. "I was worried that you'd be freaking out about now."

"Jack, if I was going to freak out it wouldn't be right now."

"I thought you'd need longer to acclimatise yourself to this. First kiss with a guy then first sex in the same day."

"I don't care that you're a man, Jack. You're just Jack to me. Captain Jack Harkness. The man who keeps his wriststrap on during sex."

Jack looked at his left hand, he hadn't even realised. He almost forgot about it most of the time. "Just Jack?"

"I don't mean _just_ Jack. I mean you're Jack. Man, woman, alien, immortal boss. I don't care."

Just then there was a noise. A noise they both recognised and both dreaded. The comms.


	7. Chapter 7

They pulled apart, both picked their comms up from the floor and Jack answered first as Ianto pulled on his boxers.

Jack: "Yeah?"

Owen: "I'm sorry about earlier, Jack."

Ianto put his comms on but didn't say anything.

Jack looked at Ianto, suddenly aware that they were practically naked and on the phone.

Jack: "Are you ready to tell me what's going on?"

Owen: "Not tonight Jack. I'll explain tomorrow yeah, I'm exhausted. What are you doing up anyway? I thought I'd get a ring out."

Jack: "You know what it's like in here, we've lost track of time. What time is it by the way?"

Owen: "It's two in the morning, on Sunday. In case you've lost track of the days as well. Where's tea boy?"

Jack looked at Ianto and Ianto shrugged his shoulders.

Jack: "He's here."

Owen: "Is he listening?"

Ianto: "Yeah, hi."

Owen: "I'm sorry Ianto."

Ianto: "For what?"

Owen: "What happened with Lisa, I understood why you did it, I don't know what Jack's told you about me but I did understand. But I was so angry and bitter about my past that I refused to see that it was the same and if I had had a chance like that I would have done exactly what you did. I was horrible to you after it all, not because I was angry at you for it, but because I was angry that you got a chance and I didn't. I have a chance now. I have to take it, I hope at least you will understand, Ianto."

Jack: "What do you mean, Owen?"

Owen: "Tomorrow, Jack." There was rustling as if he was going to hang up.

Jack: "Owen!"

Owen: "Whoa, do you have to shout? Jack there's a terrible echo there, are you in your bunker?"

Jack didn't think before he answered. "Yeah."

Owen: "And Ianto is there?"

Ianto: "Coffee run." Ianto looked away guiltily as he gathered up his clothes and climbed the ladder.

Owen: "Right. Anyway, Jack I'm sorry but I will explain in the morning."

Jack: "I'm trusting you Owen," Jack stood and found his boxers to throw them on, "don't make me regret it." He cut off the comms and followed Ianto up the ladder. 23 hours left and a lot to talk about.


	8. Chapter 8

"Ianto?" Jack followed Ianto as he walked down the stairs and stood in the hub in his boxers with his clothes in his hands.

"Oh my god, we have to work together now." Jack put his hands into his trouser po- Oh, no trousers. Okay. Jack put his hands behind his back and watched as Ianto freaked out. "No, no. Don't do that Jack. I don't regret anything that we did." He threw his t-shirt over his shoulder and held his jeans out in front of him. "I don't, Jack. I really don't but how are we supposed to continue like this? Apart from working together and not putting you before the rest of the team, because I will, I mean you're immortal and I would still jump in front of the bullet heading for you, Jack." He pulled one leg of his jeans on. "That's just awful. And already I don't know how to act with you, I mean what are we now? What am I to you and what are you to me?" Ianto was rambling and he lifted his leg and jumped about trying to pull his jeans up until he nearly fell and Jack caught him. They looked at each other and both burst out laughing. Ianto was fixing his trousers after Jack let him stand on his own and Ianto looked at Jack. He was laughing and looking at Ianto. Ianto could see it in Jack's eyes; that star. The star that had faded and that start that had flickered earlier as they kissed. That star in his eyes was twinkling and dancing as he laughed. Ianto watched him. "I don't care."

Jack was still laughing. "What?"

Ianto walked towards him and kissed him full on. "I don't care, Jack. Whatever this is we will figure it out. But it's worth it just to see that look in your eyes."

"What look?"

"That look."

Then the comms went again.

Ianto looked at Jack. "We need to talk about this before-"

Jack nodded. "I know. It'll be Tosh."

"Why not Gwen?"

"Gwen would have told Owen to piss off."

"That's true."

Jack pressed his comms and Ianto followed. "Hello?"

Tosh: "Hey Jack, sorry to be phoning so late."

Jack: "What's up?"

Tosh: "I just wondered how the filtration was going, making sure that it's on track for tomorrow."

Jack: "Oh, I don't know. We haven't even looked."

Ianto: "I'll check now, Tosh." Ianto went to the computer and started typing away.

Tosh: "Aw Ianto, how are you?"

Ianto: "I'm good. I'm quite tired actually."

Tosh: "I bet you've been over doing your exercises and overexerting yourself."

Jack took his comms out and buried his face into the couch as Ianto smiled.

Ianto: "Yeah I guess I have been doing too much, Tosh. Did Owen phone you?"

Tosh hesitated. "Yeah, he was worried that the two of you would be on top of each other by now."

Now it was Ianto's turn to take out his comms and he gestured to get Jack to put his in.

Jack: "Sorry Tosh, I missed that what did you say?"

Tosh: "I said Owen called because he was worried that you and Ianto would be on top of each other by now."

Jack took out his comms and gave up.

Ianto forced himself to put his back in and continued looking through the system. "No, we're fine. Coping. You know how it is." Ianto took a breath and caught Jack's eye as they tried not to laugh.

Tosh: "Is everything alright?"

Jack cleared his throat. "Yeah, we're fine Tosh." Jack stood behind Ianto and looked at the screen. "It says Tyfilline at 64% and Roffive at 36% with Tyfil-Five at 24%."

Tosh: "24?"

Ianto: "Tosh, it says 'Hours to filtration: 35'?"

Jack: "35? It's supposed to be 23?"

Tosh: "It's just an approximation, you should have been checking it. Did I not say that?"

Ianto and Jack just looked at each other. And smiled.

Ianto: "That's okay Tosh, see you on Monday."

Jack: "If Owen gets in touch, phone us."

Tosh: "Okay, I'm sorry."

Jack turned towards Ianto smiling. "Don't be Tosh, we should have been checking it."

Ianto: "Yeah, don't beat yourself up."

Jack: "It's getting late, Tosh."

Ianto: "Yeah, I'm knackered. Call you tomorrow?"

Tosh: "Okay, night."

Jack and Ianto: "Night!" They turned off their comms and threw them on the desk before bring their lips back together.

Jack: "We should really talk about this."

Ianto: "We should."

Jack: "Or we could talk about it in the morning."

Ianto: "In the morning."

Jack grabbed Ianto's hand and led him back to the bunk. "In the morning."


	9. Chapter 9

The two men sat on the couch eating in silence until Jack spoke. "This isn't talking."

"Nope. This is eating."

"What are we doing?"

"Eating."

"Ianto."

"I don't know, Jack. We shagged. I don't know what that means. What do you want?"

"What do you want?"

"Jack, what do _you_ want?"

"Why me?"

"Well, you have the special circumstances. You're the one that has to go on after it all. What do you want?"

"Ianto, I have spent all of my years falling in love and watching them all either leave or die. But in some I got out before that happened because I've learned that, although it's hard for me to watch the people I love leave or die, it's equally hard for the people that love me age knowing that they can't spend my forever with me."

"What does that mean?"

"But none of that has ever stopped me from falling in love because I can't stop it. It's true that it's a part of what makes me wish I could die but it is also one of the reasons that I am able to keep going. It's brilliant Ianto."

"You'll have to elaborate?"

"Ianto, I don't know what you want so I'll just have to spell it out but I hope that if I'm wrong we can get past this."

"Okay." Ianto brushed the toast crumbs from his hands and turned his full attention to Jack.

"It might not seem like it to you since you seem to think that I flirt with everyone-"

"You do flirt with everyone."

"But… I don't just sleep around all of the time. When I find someone special, that's it."

"That's it?"

"That's it. Relationship, Ianto. I don't do multiple partners, not with someone special." Ianto didn't say anything. Jack knew he'd screwed up and got his wires crossed. "But that's not what you want, that's okay. I get it." Jack picked up his cup.

"I never considered…"

"I get it, it's forgotten."

"Jack, will you just listen? I was going to say that I never imagined Captain Jack Harkness having relationships. I thought that you just had your fun and moved on. I thought that that's all you could do."

"Do you remember Estelle? The woman who tried to tell us about the fairies and-"

"They killed her."

Jack nodded and swallowed. "Yeah. I knew her a long time ago. We were together and I had to leave. I went away during the War and I didn't come back."

"Why?"

"I loved her but I could never tell her, she had started to notice more about my healing and absence of aging. It became difficult and I was so worried…" At this Jack trailed off and Ianto saw his eyes begin to water. "I, uh, I've told people before and they haven't exactly been receptive. You have to think of the times, these people didn't even know about Ibuprofen yet and I tell them that I'm immortal and from the future. That's not even discussing The Doctor or the heart of the TARDIS or even the Dalek invasion. Any of it. A lot of them have taken it differently."

"Like how?"

"Different ways, I've been locked up before, in institutions - Mental institutions and then laboratories. Then there was that time that I developed a cult following, that wasn't as cool as it first seemed. Then there was Angelo, we were attacked together and he saw me die."

"He didn't know?"

"No, he was captured and went to prison. I waited for him when he came out, I tried to explain it to him and he seemed to take it okay for a short while. Very short."

"What happened?"

"I kissed him and he stabbed me."

"He stabbed you?"

"This was the 20s so he started going on that I was the Devil. 'El diablo. El diablo.' That's what he said. I tried to tell him but he wouldn't listen." Jack's speech was getting faster as the scene around him started to melt back to that little room of theirs.

Ianto took Jack's face in his hands. "Jack, look at me. It's over. It's over. You're here, you're here with me. And I'm not going to stab you, I already know what the score is. Okay? Calm down."

Jack nodded as the Hub came back into full view and so did Ianto. "That wasn't the end of it." Jack took a breath. "I, uh, I don't want to-"

"Jack, I want to know but only if you want to and are comfortable with telling me. If you don't want to talk about it I am not going to make you and I am not going to hate you. Your past is yours."

Jack kissed Ianto with tears falling down his cheeks. "Thank you."

Ianto let Jack compose himself before he spoke. "So, you want a relationship with me? Is that what you're saying?"

Jack nodded. "But if you don't then its fine, we can work it out, Ianto. This won't affect your place here."

"Wow." Ianto took a breath and went to his locker before he took out an open pack of cigarettes.

"Cigarettes?" Jack's mouth actually fell open.

"What?" Ianto stopped to look at him with one hanging out of his mouth. "I get stressed and I smoke so sue me. Want one?"

Jack put his hand out. "Well it's not like it's going to do any damage. Why are you stressed?"

Ianto threw Jack the packet and lit his cigarette before plonking himself on the couch, he looked at Jack as he handed him the lighter. "I've never been in a relationship with a Captain before."

Jack just smiled and lit his cigarette. "I have."


	10. Chapter 10

Jack had fallen asleep on the couch when he heard his comms beep and he picked it up.

Owen: "Jack?"

Jack: "Yeah."

Owen: "Is Ianto there?"

Ianto: "I don't have to be."

Owen: "No, I want you to hear this. Although, Jack has probably already told you."

Ianto: "He hasn't said anything and I didn't ask."

Jack: "It's not my story to tell, Owen."

Owen: "I thought you'd be mad, Jack."

Jack: "Ianto could have died Owen, but that would have been my fault, not yours. No one is in danger and you didn't lie to me. I'm not mad."

Owen: "She never would have killed any of you."

Jack: "Who?"

Owen: "Diane."

Ianto looked at Jack as he placed the cup of coffee in front of him. Jack shook his head and Ianto nodded in agreement, it was best if Ianto was quiet until Owen spoke to him.

Jack: "Tell me."

Owen: "I was walking through the sewers. That was a blinding experience by the way, I'm on my 60th shower so far. The Weevils just stopped what they were doing and watched as I passed them by. I got lost a little, Gwen is rubbish at directions."

Jack: "Where was Tosh?"

Owen: "She was monitoring the, ah," Owen stumbled over his own words as if he had rethought what he was about to say, "she was monitoring the Weevil overflow for UNIT, making sure that they didn't decide to off a few. Anyway, I finally found a clue."

Jack: "A clue? Did you step into an Agatha Christie novel?" He smiled at Ianto.

Owen: "Funny. I bet you're looking at Ianto with a smile that says 'I'm funny' right?"

Ianto couldn't help but laugh because he had been.

Jack: "Owen, come on."

Owen: "I followed the tunnel to the end. I knew then who I would find at the end of it because I threw that scarf away. It was given to me by her and I let it fly away one night, after I died, I stood looking out of my window and I let it go. But I followed the tunnel, there wasn't a Weevil anywhere near where she was. Seeing her was like a dream and a nightmare all at once. She looks exactly the same Jack. Exactly the same as when she flew away except… Sad."

Jack: "Why is she sad, Owen?"

Owen: "You know what it is like, don't you, tea boy?" Owen was starting to cry, or whatever passed for crying when it was Owen now.

Ianto: "Know what_ what_ is like?"

Owen: "When they come back. When you get that second chance."

Ianto: "Yeah I do."

Jack: "Tell us, Owen."

Owen: "She was a child out of time. She fell into our world and then took to the skies trying to get back. She fell back, Jack."

Jack: "Back?" Jack sat bolt upright.

Owen: Remember when that thing happened with the Cybermen and those bastards with the plungers? She was flying high over Torchwood Tower, she hit a crack, a hairline crack that beelined off of the original. She went through and that's why I had to talk to you both. Because you would both understand."

Ianto: "Both?"

Owen: "Ianto, you understand what it's like to clasp at that second chance with every fibre of your being and be blinded by it. But you don't care, in that moment, you know you're blind and you don't care, do you?"

Ianto: "No you don't."

Owen: "And Jack, you know what it's like, to be trapped in time. Both in the world and in your body."

Jack: "Owen, what happened?"

Owen: "She fell through the rift, Jack, into the void. She almost got sucked right in but the Doctor and Rose, they closed it. It was that act of it opening and closing, it happened slowly for them but for her it was seconds, it was that act that did it. She fell into the void and died but she wasn't completely in the void because when they closed it they brought her straight back out. Jack, she's like me, she's dead but she's like you; she's dead… Forever."


	11. Chapter 11

Jack: "What do you mean, forever?"

Owen: "I mean she fell through the crack and back into 1953 but then the rift opened fully, pulling her in and then throwing her out again already dead. She's been dead since 1953 Jack. But it's different from me, she's permanently dead. She can break bones and then repair them to what they were like when she was dead. She has no blood or pulse or anything but it's like she's stuck at that point, as if that point is her default."

Ianto: "That poor woman."

Jack: "That's why the Weevils don't attack her. Was she living down there?"

Owen: "Yes, she didn't want to risk being seen by us but there is seldom places that we don't go."

Ianto: "Except Weevil country."

Owen: "And the one place that I can roam free."

Ianto: "What are you going to do, Owen?"

Owen: "You know what I'm going to do. She came back, Ianto. What else can I do?"

Jack: "Owen…"

Owen: "Jack, she's not alien, she's not a threat and she's not crazy. She's sad and lonely and… so am I."

Jack: "Owen, you said it yourself, you won't last forever. Then what?"

Diane: "Then I come to you."

Owen: "Not as a prisoner or an experiment, Jack!"

Jack: "I wouldn't do that, Owen."

Diane: "I don't care. If Owen dies I will contact Torchwood and arrange to come in."

Jack: "_Arrange_ to come in?"

Diane: "I can't exactly ring the doorbell?"

Ianto: "We have a desk with a bell on it."

Owen starts laughing. "You understand though, don't you, Ianto?"

Ianto: "Yeah. You're not coming back."

Owen: "No, I'm not. I'm sorry, Jack."

Jack: "I understand. You might want to ring Tosh."

Ianto: "Don't phone her, go round there."

Jack: "Yeah, do that in fact."

Owen: "Why?"

Diane: "I'll explain it to him. Even I could see it."

Jack: "Thank you."

Ianto: "Owen… Thanks. For before."

Owen: "It's alright mate. Maybe you should phone Martha, Jack."

Jack: "I might, thanks Owen."

Diane: "Jack, Ianto? I'm sorry that I got you two stuck under quarantine."

Jack and Ianto look at other and smile.

Jack: "That's alright. He looks just as good in jeans."

Ianto: "Careful, sir. That's harassment."

Diane: "It really shouldn't have taken this long to filter out of the-"

Owen: "We'll be going now. Don't delete my number, Jack. I'm not _completely_ dead yet." The comms go dead.

Ianto looked at Jack who was deep in thought. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Coffee?"

"Yeah, please."

Ianto walked over to the coffee maker and smiled to himself before shouting back. "So what do you prefer, Jack?"

"Between what?"

"The suit or jeans?"

Jack appeared in the doorway and made his way over to Ianto, hugging into him from behind. "Neither."


	12. Chapter 12

"Oh, hello. We have events here, hold on." Ianto was sitting at his computer.

Jack stood from his computer and looked at what he was talking about.

_QUARANTINE LIFTED. AIR FILTRATION COMPLETE. TYFIL-FIVE COMPLETELY FILTERED OUT. REPEAT. QUARANTINE LIFTED. AIR FILTRATION COMPLETE. TYFIL-FIVE COMPLETELY FILTERED OUT. ALL SYSTEMS BACK ONLINE AND AREAS ACCESSIBLE. REPEAT. ALL SYSTEMS BACK ONLINE AND AREAS ACCESSIBLE._

Jack touched his comms. "Tosh, Gwen are you two on your way, the quarantine has been lifted?"

Gwen: "We even have pastry."

Ianto: "I might have to hug you, Cooper."

Gwen and Tosh laugh over the comms.

Owen: "When I said don't delete my number I meant take it out of the party line." He sighed.

Jack: "Sorry Owen."

Ianto: "Sorry that's my fault."

Owen: "That's what you said about the letter."

Jack: "This one actually is his fault. Listen, while I still have you. Fancy a freelance job? You won't be on call but if we ever need one or two people to run through a crowd of Weevils can we use your number?"

Owen: "Still work for you? I can- Oi!" There was a rustling noise until Diane spoke. "Definitely. He's driving me mad already. Went to sleep, well whatever passes for sleep with the two of us, with that thing in his ear. Good morning you lot."

Everyone laughed, except one, until Owen came back on the comms. "She's mad. Oi, get back in this bed, you!" There was more rustling and Owen clicked off.

Tosh: "Be with you in ten."

Then the comms went off.

Ianto turned to look at Jack. "So quick recap." He fixed the collar of his suit, he had quite gotten used to his t-shirt and jeans and now he felt a little over dressed.

"Alright. We are in a relationship and they can lump it. It there's a bullet flying or anything else you let me do the jumping unless I can't in which case, why are _you_ jumping? And of course, you will, it's _you_ so you just don't jump in front of me. Believe me I am not going to take offence to it, I will survive, I have survived a lot worse. As soon as our relationship starts to put the team in danger that has to stop or we do."

"And how can we act, in here?"

"However we like, but I think that when we are on an active case then we keep it for clocking out."

"Agreed." There was a pause before Ianto looked back to Jack. "Are we on an active case right now?"

"No." Jack smiled and they began to kiss.

"Ten minutes they said." He pulled Jack, who was still standing, in between his legs.

"I'm good at working on a tight schedule."

"You might not want to do that." They turned to see Tosh and Gwen standing at the entrance, they hadn't even heard the alarms. "Sorry, it was quicker than we thought." They walked towards the desk, put various bags down and proceeded to arrange them. "That's yours Ianto." Gwen put a bag on the desk in front of them. "And yours is in there too, Jack." Neither girls batted an eyelid as Jack and Ianto were still in the same position but Ianto's hand had fell from Jack's neck to his chest.

"I knew it." Jack took a step back and looked at Tosh who didn't turn.

"Knew what?" Ianto stood and turned to watch Jack take a step to stand in between Gwen and Tosh.

"It was you two, you extended the quarantine?" He pointed accusingly at Tosh.

"What?" She looked up, instantly Ianto knew she was lying and she hadn't even lied yet. "No we didn't." There it was; Tosh was incapable of lying.

"Yes we did." They all looked at Gwen as she looked at Tosh. "Well, we did! If we're going to lie we may as well admit it at the end. I stand by the action."

Jack turned to Gwen. "Why?"

"Why? Oh my god Jack, you two have been dancing around each other for long enough. Since before I even got here apparently, Ianto didn't think he was good enough for you, the immortal Captain. And Jack didn't think you would want to be with someone who has seen the things that he has, he wasn't sure he could trust you and that you'd want to spend your life with someone who couldn't give you the same."

Tosh shrugged. "We didn't plan anything but we took advantage of the current situation, we extended the quarantine as long as we could without you noticing too much."

"Owen said that maybe-"

Ianto and Jack spoke at the same time. "Owen?!"

Gwen looked shocked at their surprise. "Yeah, he joked that maybe now that you two were forced to stay together for those days that you might finally realise what was going on and one thing led to another and before we knew it, we were extending the quarantine."

"We're sorry." Tosh looked thoroughly ashamed and sorry. There was also something else in her look and it didn't exactly take a genius to work it out.

"I'm not." Gwen shrugged. "It was a sound idea and it worked. We did something and we should admit it. Now will you two stop acting bothered and eat your breakfast." She held out the bag to Ianto.

Ianto and Jack just looked at each other and Ianto laughed as he took the bag. "There had better be a yum-yum in here."

"What else would we get you?" Gwen smiled and went back to her bag.

"Coffee, Gwen?"

"Oh Ianto, I have _so_ missed your coffee."

"Tosh?"

"Em, green tea please." She looked back to her computer and Ianto looked at Gwen for her to mouth the obvious.

Jack pressed his comms.

"Coffee… sir?"

"Yes thank you, Ianto."

Ianto started to walk away.

"Owen?"

"Can't get rid of you lot. What is it?"

"You've been rumbled."

"Whatcha gonna do? Kill me?" And he hung up again.

Jack just laughed, stopped on the stairs up to his office and turned on his heels. "Since you girls were very naughty, one of you can do my laundry for me."

They looked at each other pleadingly.

Ianto appeared holding a bag of coffee beans. "Uh, I_ really_ wouldn't if I were you two." He tried not to but a smile appeared on his face and it wasn't an innocent one either. Tosh looked away embarrassed and Gwen made a face and shook her head as Jack started laughing.

"Ianto, I might have to make it your job."

"Not in my job description, sir." Ianto disappeared back into the kitchen area knowing that laundry, in fact, _was_ in Ianto's job description.

"Maybe jeans and a t-shirt should be!" Jack shouted after the Welshman.

Gwen and Tosh both laughed and looked at each other.

"Tosh, what have we done?" They laughed and carried on to have breakfast in the Hub of Torchwood Three in Cardiff.

Jack went back to work, which was really just reading reports and trying to take in what had happened over the past few days.

.

.

A few hours after Gwen and Tosh had arrived it happened. Jack poked his head out of his office. "Shut up!" His voice boomed and suddenly there was silence. Silence all except that noise. And Jack smirked as he grabbed his coat.

"Jack? Where are you going?" Gwen turned in her chair as Ianto appeared in the doorway. He got a surprise when Jack kissed him right on the lips.

"Got a Doctor's appointment. Don't wait up." He smirked as he stood on the platform and pressed the button on his wrist strap. He looked up to the exit as the platform began to rise and whispered to himself thinking about that bar, that sad look on the man's face and Jack's salute. "You don't get away that easy, Doctor."


End file.
